Conoco Inc. is pumping up a small Denver-based firm with a contract to process about $150 million a year worth of credit card transactions.

The company on Tuesday announced it has signed Card Plus International Inc., a minority-owned firm founded in 1996, to process credit card transactions for more than 100 Conoco locations throughout the region.

"This is a big venture for us,"
said George Brantley, director of Card Plus, which employs six people who work out of Denver, Atlanta and Savannah, Ga.

In striking the deal, Conoco sought to work with a nontraditional vendor and to help expand the credibility of a small, minority-based company, said Hubert Jones, Conoco supply director. The company was founded by Patrick Aniniba.

"For us it's an opportunity to bring economic gain to a minority business community. It's important that we're involved in creating economic opportunity," Jones said.

Card Plus will work first with Conoco outlets in Colorado, Utah and Kansas, and as the partnership grows, Card Plus may acquire credit card transactions from Conoco outlets in other states.

"This will give them an opportunity to work with a larger company to establish credibility within the business world," Calvin Golliver, Conoco credit manager, said.

Brantley said the partnership will enable Card Plus to become competitive in the credit card processing business.

"We take pride in being groundbreakers and we are looking at this as a political, social and economic venture," Brantley said.

Denise Horton, president of Card Plus, said the partnership will help Card Plus gain recognition.

"This gives us the leverage to help the black business community," Horton said. "We have a nice mesh with Conoco and we want to take advantage of this to help Card Plus grow."

Conoco is the largest customer for Card Plus so far, and Brantley said it will improve the political clout of minorities for Conoco and businesses nationwide.

"Everyone with Conoco has provided a mentoring relationship in developing Card Plus," Brantley said. "We hope to earn a bigger piece of the pie."

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